Missouri lawmakers overall do a "good" job managing taxpayer funds, but are too generous with time off for staff and too willing to accept lobbyist money for meals, according to a pair of audits that also ding legislators for secrecy.

In reports released Monday, Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway's office indicated both Missouri’s Senate and House of Representatives are managed well. But despite overall positive ratings, both chambers need to improve personnel policies, record keeping, compensation practices and Sunshine Law compliance, the reports said.

Problems identified in reports include spending that auditors considered more generous than usual: almost $250,000 in paid leave for House employees during fiscal years 2014 and 2015, and as much as $178,000 in similar payments in the Senate. The paid leave was in addition to normal state holidays. Auditors noted that “most other state employees do not receive additional days off” and recommended ending the practice of affording this extra time off.

The House acknowledged the auditor’s recommendation. The Senate defended the payments, replying in its audit that staff usually work on Lincoln’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day and Truman Day.

“The Senate does not pay for comp time earned during holidays and not all employees earn comp time for holidays worked,” the Senate said in the audit. “The granting of additional administrative leave replaces these holidays that other state employees receive.”

Galloway also took issue with the Senate’s control of a bank account “for the purpose of soliciting contributions from lobbyists to pay for meals provided to members and employees who work late during legislative sessions," totaling $6,500 over the past two fiscal years.

“Soliciting contributions from lobbyists gives the appearance of, and may result in, a conflict of interest,” auditors wrote. “In addition, the Senate does not have the authority to maintain the bank account and administrative duties related to the account are not properly segregated.”

The Senate in response said that the account’s activities were transparent and that donations were reported to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

“This is a challenging situation because the Senate understands why (Galloway’s office) recommends closing the account; however, there is no apparent solution that works operationally for the Senate,” the Senate said.

The audits also said that certain legislative committees could be more transparent, finding that meeting records in some cases were not created, were missing or were insufficient.

The Senate and the House have taken the position that Missouri’s Sunshine Law does not apply to individual lawmakers’ records, such as their emails or calendars. The audit requested that both chambers formalize their policies about what is and is not considered an open record.

In a statement to the Associated Press, House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, said the House took the audit recommendations "very seriously and will review its findings with an eye on improving the way we do business here in the House."

"As Speaker I have made it a priority to restore the public's trust in state government and my goal is to continue building that trust by improving the way we operate as an institution," Richardson said.

Galloway’s office also recommended that the Senate train members more often regarding sexual harassment. The Senate said it had a “long-standing policy of requiring members and employees to complete sexual harassment training” and would consider more frequent training. Annual sexual-harassment training became mandatory in November for House members and their staff.

The requirements were ramped up after former House Speaker John Diehl, a St. Louis County Republican, and Sen. Paul LeVota, an Independence Democrat, resigned last year after alleged scandals involving legislative interns.

Another recommendation made by Galloway’s office was to establish a policy to protect whistleblowers from retaliation. The House and Senate both said in response that they would consider adding whistleblower policies.